I’m done with Alliant

[Bluefink4895]

As long as theirs conflicts around the world the powder situation won't get any better.
Why would they spend the money and resources to bottle up 1lb or 8lb containers
when you could sell pallet loads to governments, plus a lot of them have contracts
that have to be fulfilled first.

Very true.
Every time you you pull the lanyard on a 155 howitzer, about 20+ pounds of very large extruded stick powder goes out the end of the tube. Never mind all the other ordnance and boom stuff getting fired off.

Nitrocellulose supply chains were already getting tight before all this started. Western nations let munition supply and manufacturing capabilities slowly wither for decades. So much has been lost and now has to be rebuilt. That scramble is just beginning.

Ditto for copper, tin, etc. Even humble lead and zinc. Not "powder", but equally important to our "special" needs. Think about how much copper goes into electric cars and related tech. That ain't going away.

I don't see demand slowly for any of this stuff anytime soon. All we can do it adapt, bite the bullet if our pocket books can handle it. Cut back, refocus, narrow down to essential reloading/shooting needs.

But times change, crises will come and go. Who knows, maybe things will calm down and there will be peace on earth...then we can buy surplus howitzer powder out of a barrel by the scoop at local hardware store.

 

[dryhumor]

You know something’s up when gold is over $2100 an ounce… in 2004 it was just over $600.

 

[6BRA]

That's what the greedy SOB's are hoping for, more people like you.

Once the chain reaction starts with inflation, everything increases. Are you going to stop buying food and gasoline as well? Greedy SOBs? Bidenomics and policy is what got you here. Sink or swim. No changing it.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Once the chain reaction starts with inflation, everything increases. Are you going to stop buying food and gasoline as well? Greedy SOBs? Bidenomics and policy is what got you here. Sink or swim. No changing it.

Yes, but there’s more than likely a little “laughing all the way to bank” going on here too.

 

[6BRA]

Yes, but there’s more than likely a little “laughing all the way to bank” going on here too.

Business's can't find help. Govt pays people to sit on their ass. Increased labor, increased mfg product labor. A 12 pack of Coke is 8 bucks now. So is everybody raking it in? A business that doesn't make money is a bad idea.

 

[AlNyhus]

I have been searching for n140 lately, no luck.

It's in stock at quite a few online suppliers.

 

[Larry Koch]

Drill baby drill. And remove the hand cuff off businesses.

 

[47WillysGuy]

That's what the greedy SOB's are hoping for, more people like you.

There's a lot room for blame to go around for price increases across the board. For one, government infusion of 8 trillion dollars in the monetary system is probably the best reason for skyrocketing prices.

When my wife and I go out for beer and hamburger and I wind up with a 60 dollar bill, its across the board for everything. It's F*G insane. Rant over!

 

[Camper]

High prices this time around will not go down untill years after all is quiet in the world. And then we have Taiwan... another catastrophe waiting to happen thanks to Biden's weakness. I cant figure on what China is waiting for... but they are probably going to play it safe and wait till the results of 2024 come in.

 

[Triple BB]

Business's can't find help. Govt pays people to sit on their ass. Increased labor, increased mfg product labor. A 12 pack of Coke is 8 bucks now. So is everybody raking it in? A business that doesn't make money is a bad idea.

I bought several 12 packs of Shasta Cola for $4 a 12 pack at Menards recently. It’s basically the same corn syrup, flavoring, & water as the name brands. Can’t tell me it costs twice as much to make one as the other. Most of these companies are opportunists and are price gouging their customers because people are still buying…

 

[Laurie]

Every time you you pull the lanyard on a 155 howitzer, about 20+ pounds of very large extruded stick powder goes out the end of the tube. Never mind all the other ordnance and boom stuff getting fired off.

Nitrocellulose supply chains were already getting tight before all this started. Western nations let munition supply and manufacturing capabilities slowly wither for decades. So much has been lost and now has to be rebuilt. That scramble is just beginning.

Just so, but that (massively increased global demand allied to severe constraints on increasing propellant supply in the West) is only one half of the story. Basic economic theory says that prices rise when demand exceeds supply - that's not 'price-gouging', rather a simple fact of life.

There is another aspect though - MAJOR price rises to producer input costs in Europe. Because you don't make powders in the US anymore (bar General Dynamics St. Marks, Florida which makes only ball types), you import everything else, much made in Europe. Most Americans are probably unaware (thanks to low domestic energy prices largely due to the 'fracking' bonanza), that the rest of the West has seen massive hikes in energy costs since Comrade Putin invaded Ukraine two years ago and Russian gas and oil supplies have been largely cut off. This has been hard (to put it mildly) on domestic electricity, gas and petrol/diesel consumers with many people struggling to heat their houses in winter etc, but has had (and continues to have) a devastating effect on Europe's energy-intensive industries, primarily steelmaking and chemicals manufacture. Recent reports have warned of massive potential closures with Europe's chemical industry sector now unprofitable across the board because its business model was built entirely on cheap Russian gas supplies. Unsurprisingly, any chemicals made in Europe are seeing very heavy price increases.

Now ......... just what sort of product are nitrocellulose propellants?

 

[Perk]

New barrel from Urbanrifleman new powder VV140. Graf's has in stock. Comes with new reloading guide. Perk

 

[Dimner]

For those who just want the guide, it's on VV's site in PDF format for free.

 

[6BRA]

Just so, but that (massively increased global demand allied to severe constraints on increasing propellant supply in the West) is only one half of the story. Basic economic theory says that prices rise when demand exceeds supply - that's not 'price-gouging', rather a simple fact of life.

There is another aspect though - MAJOR price rises to producer input costs in Europe. Because you don't make powders in the US anymore (bar General Dynamics St. Marks, Florida which makes only ball types), you import everything else, much made in Europe. Most Americans are probably unaware (thanks to low domestic energy prices largely due to the 'fracking' bonanza), that the rest of the West has seen massive hikes in energy costs since Comrade Putin invaded Ukraine two years ago and Russian gas and oil supplies have been largely cut off. This has been hard (to put it mildly) on domestic electricity, gas and petrol/diesel consumers with many people struggling to heat their houses in winter etc, but has had (and continues to have) a devastating effect on Europe's energy-intensive industries, primarily steelmaking and chemicals manufacture. Recent reports have warned of massive potential closures with Europe's chemical industry sector now unprofitable across the board because its business model was built entirely on cheap Russian gas supplies. Unsurprisingly, any chemicals made in Europe are seeing very heavy price increases.

Now ......... just what sort of product are nitrocellulose propellants?

Exactly, the reason we don't produce is because of terrible liberal policy!

 

[fatelvis]

Just so, but that (massively increased global demand allied to severe constraints on increasing propellant supply in the West) is only one half of the story. Basic economic theory says that prices rise when demand exceeds supply - that's not 'price-gouging', rather a simple fact of life.

There is another aspect though - MAJOR price rises to producer input costs in Europe. Because you don't make powders in the US anymore (bar General Dynamics St. Marks, Florida which makes only ball types), you import everything else, much made in Europe. Most Americans are probably unaware (thanks to low domestic energy prices largely due to the 'fracking' bonanza), that the rest of the West has seen massive hikes in energy costs since Comrade Putin invaded Ukraine two years ago and Russian gas and oil supplies have been largely cut off. This has been hard (to put it mildly) on domestic electricity, gas and petrol/diesel consumers with many people struggling to heat their houses in winter etc, but has had (and continues to have) a devastating effect on Europe's energy-intensive industries, primarily steelmaking and chemicals manufacture. Recent reports have warned of massive potential closures with Europe's chemical industry sector now unprofitable across the board because its business model was built entirely on cheap Russian gas supplies. Unsurprisingly, any chemicals made in Europe are seeing very heavy price increases.

Now ......... just what sort of product are nitrocellulose propellants?

This all may be true, but then why is it that VV powders are still relatively (I stress relatively ) cheap?

 

[bozo699]

That's what the greedy SOB's are hoping for, more people like you.

Let’s all just cave in and give up shooting it’s expensive!…. While we’re at it so is fuel!.. let’s sell our vehicles!…. Wait foods super expensive!…. Let’s show them bastards were not gonna pay those ridiculous prices and stop eating!…. That will show them SOB’s!…
Wayne!……

 

[bozo699]

This all may be true, but then why is it that VV powders are still relatively (I stress relatively ) cheap?

I don’t know for sure but I believe they only ship it here a couple times a year, people are so pissed off at Alliant and Hogdon that there throwing it in there gardens vowing to never pay them ridiculous prices ever again!… re stocking there shelves with VV that $5-$10 a lb cheaper right now. Sooooo…… here’s what’s gonna happen….. most will buy small quantities of vv to try new loads….. oh wow VV N555 shoots as well in my 6.5 can do anything creedmoor! As that evil H4350 that’s $10 a lb more than N555,… now I’m gonna stockpile N555…… you think your the only shooter that just figured this out?… NO!… everyone just did now the entire shipload just sold in three days!… you can bet your ass the next shipload in VV is not gonna be $45 a lb anymore!… rant over!…
Wayne

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I bought several 12 packs of Shasta Cola for $4 a 12 pack at Menards recently. It’s basically the same corn syrup, flavoring, & water as the name brands. Can’t tell me it costs twice as much to make one as the other. Most of these companies are opportunists and are price gouging their customers because people are still buying…

Do they make Dr Pepper? lol!

 

[dryhumor]

A business that doesn't make money is a bad idea.

^^^^ this is how our government operates.

On the plus side, all those years of buying alternative powders is paying off. I was even curious enough to see what Alliant powders I have on hand.
2 RE17
2 RE19
1 RE22
1 RE23
1 RE16
2 RE10X
1 RE15

I’m not bragging mind ya, but when I saw RE26 at a gun show for $100 a poundthe other week… I figured I’m about halfway to an ounce of gold with what I have.

 

[bozo699]

Do they make Dr Pepper? lol!

Actually they do, my buddy buys it, I can’t remember the name but taste just like Dr Pepper for half the price
Wayne